While several of the city's top employers reduced staffs, Glendale Adventist Medical Center increased its workforce.

While several of Glendale's top employers have downsized since 2006, at least one — Glendale Adventist Medical Center — has added employees.

Since 2006, the hospital has jumped its employee base, including full-time and hourly workers, by 21% to 2,424, according to an analysis of data released this month by the city of Glendale in its comprehensive annual financial report.

Human resources officials at the hospital attribute the gain to new clinical positions who came along with the addition of new towers in 2007 and 2012. The hospital went from 452 beds to 515.

"We had been pushing to be a leader in providing world-class care so we have continued —, in the communities and in the markets we're in — to have growth," said Jodi Parrish, employment manager at Glendale Adventist.

Parrish said the hospital may continue to increase its staff, but it won't be at the rate seen in the past seven years, even as the Affordable Care Act kicks in, bringing new patients into the fold.

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The law, known as Obamacare, requires all citizens to have health insurance, but the impact of those new patients will be seen more in doctor's offices than hospitals.

While Glendale Adventist has added employees during the past seven years, Glendale Memorial Medical Center has decreased its staff by about 4% to 1,196.

An official at Glendale Memorial Medical Center was not available to comment on the slight dip, said spokesman Angela Giacobbe, but in January more than 100 nurses and support staff picketed outside the hospital to oppose planned layoffs.

A California Nurses Assn. spokeswoman said at the time the hospital planned to lay off 41 nursing support staff, such as vocational nurses, nurse's aides and custodial staff, by Feb. 15. The hospital did not comment about the cuts in January.

But Glendale Memorial's slim-down was a drop in the bucket compared to other top employers in Glendale, such as the city of Glendale, the Glendale Unified School District and Nestle Co.

The city and school district decreased their ranks by 25% and roughly 32%, respectively. Both government agencies have struggled financially because of the recession as well as state funding issues, with the city slashing nearly 200 positions through early retirements, layoffs and axing open jobs in 2012 alone to fend off a massive $15.4 million deficit.